Been told I’ve not got ADHD - accept it or get 2nd opinion?

[Greenkindness]

In short been told I don’t have ADHD because I did really well in the QB test and am coping.

I’ve had antidepressants for 20 years on and off. My DD has been diagnosed with ADHD and going through that with her has made me really feel I have ADHD.

I’ve had a few sessions with a psychiatrist via BUPA and although I score really highly on the personality questionnaire and have all the symptoms because I am coping and scored mostly in the normal range on the QB test have been discharged with a recurrent prescription for antidepressants.

My gut feeling is to be disappointed. I don’t know whether I should just accept this and my disorganised jumbled excruciating life with the meltdowns or try again. Could go private but don’t want to if unlikely to get a different result.

We went private for DD and got shared care with the GP but worried I won’t if the bupa psychiatrist has discharged me with no diagnosis.

Anyone got any experience?

NC for this but do post elsewhere regularly.

So you don’t have a diagnosis?
a questionaire is not grounds
for a diagnosis
yes a second opinion as clearly you do think so

I don’t have a diagnosis no. I don’t know whether to keep going with my gut feeling or not really. Thanks

I think if you want to be medicated or adjustments at work then getting a diagnosis will be necessary, if you don't then it may be more stress than it's worth. If your child has ADHD and you've read up on it and relate then I think that's very good grounds to believe you probably do too. So maybe that's enough or maybe it's not?

Have you been also tested for ASD or only ADHD?

Thanks, I really want to try medication and I want to ask work for some adjustments. It’s made so much difference to my DD. Due to med shortages we’ve been rationing her meds and you can really tell the difference.

ADHD only. Thank you

I don’t think you can ask for adjustments at work on the basis that you disagree with a psychiatrist and believe you have adhd

So if you wish to progress adjustments and med… you need to get on the long nhs waiting list Or keep going with private and hope one of them gives you a diagnosis

Computer tests are not supposed to be used in ADHD diagnostics - this explains why:

Confused especially about QB as my v quick googling suggests it's for children? So why would they use it at an adult diagnosis, by adulthood you would have caught up to everything it's measuring. It's meant to be used to assess developmental delays.

although I score really highly on the personality questionnaire

i suspect the OP did a google rather than the results forming the basis of the psychiatrists view that she does not have adhd

But OP said "because I am coping and scored mostly in the normal range on the QB test"

So it did sound like the test was the main basis.

However I'm also wondering why the mismatch - if the psychiatrist sees OP as coping, but OP feels she is not coping, what's happening here?

And legally, I understand that you can ask for adjustments regardless of diagnosis or not. But I don't know the ins and outs of UK law here as I don't live there are more.

ADHD UK are supposed to be helpful and can probably help with that.

Thanks. I got a copy of the letter which says my history is suggestive but the QB test score, which he describes as a functional testing program for ADHD, suggests my function is good so I don’t need medication. I just feel in my day to day life I don’t function well. I always losing things, forgetting things, late for things, I leave everything to the last minute and find it so hard to work without the adrenaline boost, I stim, I meltdown - all of it.

I play lots of online games for relaxation, maybe I’m just good at them, or maybe I just don’t have ADHD! When I did the personality questionnaires with the dr I scored on the 99% percentile. I’m just fed up of being like this and exhausted but I will get over it and gather myself up. But I just hate how I am. Thanks for the replies.

So I'm new to this but here goes
My 12 year daughter is got signs of ADHD she has had signs since early childhood but are becoming more prominent in school now.
She was given a QB test from Camhs when she was 7 but passed, now because its effecting her everyday life and she's self harming we have rerefferred to camhs, school are on board. My question is will they do another QB test and are they always right?

Maybe start your own thread @Elz1978 - this one is quite old now and people might not see your post at the end.

My dd started self harming at the same age and was referred for assessment. A lot of what she said and did made me think she had ADD (no H) - I am an ADHDer, although I wasn't formally diagnosed at the time (am now), and recognised some of the things she said about paralysis around homework, and so on, from my own school days. It was suggested to us that she was also assessed for autism - I didn't think she was autistic, as she had always been at the centre of things at school, really popular, etc - turns out she was masking like mad and dying inside the whole time. In the end she wasn't diagnosed with ADD (although both of my sons are), but is diagnosed with autism - the ADD traits went away as she was treated for her intense anxiety (therapy and meds, we also pulled her out of school).

I'm not saying your dd will be the same, but wanted to share dd's story to see if any of it resonated with you. Anxiety is very similar to ADD in how it presents, but there are key differences - the team dd saw spent a lot of time unpicking what is anxiety and what is possible ADD.

The sendco in her school has been amazing, he is there for support 100% my problem is even tho she is on the pathway im still worried they will tell me she hasn't got it again and fobb me off like they did when she was 7. I dont k ow how much more I could cope with. The sendco teacher has told me he has no doubts of her having it but I'm just worried.

A few things come to mind.

For diagnosis the final d for disorder adhD is crucial. You can be neurologically wired, but without the dysfunction/suffering they cannot diagnose.

I mask heavily and automatically and find it nearly impossible to admit I’m struggling. I had to coach myself a bit before the interview so I wasn’t covering up (and it took several days to recover from being so unmasked). You need to make it crystal clear that these issues cause you suffering and distress.

Something that surprised me is how I almost gaslight myself. I’ve had two periods of burnout, serious impact on my career, life, my dc, etc but I would still present as “coping”. Even after I was diagnosed I still had imposter syndrome and had to keep replaying the psychiatrist’s summation to myself.

What age are you (you don’t need to tell me)? I was managing ok until peri menopause when the house of cards came tumbling. If a man is “functioning well” he probably will keep on doing so, but we have hormonal cycles that interact with dopamine receptors.

The QB is a red herring. Cahms declined to diagnose ds after his qb, not because he’d passed but because he stimmed in a way they couldn’t distinguish from autistic stimming 🙄 But it’s perfectly possible to hyperfocus through the qb.

If seeking a second opinion is an option, I would. Or if you want to challenge the validity of the qb, you could do that. And put in writing that the extent of distress this causes you has been under estimated.

I was assessed for AS and was really quite disappointed when I was told u don't meet the criteria. Personable very good at conversion blah blah but I have learnt this. I know I have traits.
The QB assessment is only one part of the diagnostic tools used. Did they speak to your family or close friends?

Sorry for the late update - I went back to the dr and said that I felt all the other evidence pointed towards ADHD and I’d like to try the medication. He agreed so I’ve been on it for a month now, and it’s been good. Next hurdle is the GP. One step at a time. Thanks for the support everyone.

Good luck @Elz1978